http://www.news10.net/display_story.aspx?storyid=24793
This doggie has been walking upright her entire life and seems quite happy. I’m so glad they found her!
People mourn the loss of their limb(s). Animals, as far as I can tell, don’t. They just get on with the business of living.
I’ve also never seen a dog staring at another dog because it was missing a limb and looked ‘different.’
A one-legged person is far more disabled than a 3-legged dog or cat. A prosthesis is unnecessary for a dog or a cat.
This board is dedicated to fighting ignorance. You should read the posts here and educate yourself a little more on this subject. Animals that are otherwise healthy can live very high-quality lives with 3 limbs.
Ah, but I believe most experts would say you think wrong. Perhaps vetbridge or another resident SDMB vet can come in and clarify things, but the vets I talked too were of quite different opinion than yours.
The key ( in my mind ) is always quality of life. My previous cat, a pet of seventeen years, developed a very fast-growing fibrosarcoma on a rear foot. If it had been an issue of radiation or chemo that would make her miserable with no guaranteed prospect of success, I would have had her put down. If x-rays had shown her spine or hips degenerated with any arthritis, such that undo mechanical strain would result from surgery, I’d have had her put down. If the prospect for a complete recovery from the cancer had been poor, mediocre or even just chancy, I’d have had her put down.
But nope, vets ( a oncology specialist as well as a general practioner at a different practice ) agreed that she would likely recover fully and adjust quickly with a good quality of life. And she did.
Every situation is different and I’d be wary of automatically being critical of all such procedures, based only on your own assumptions of what is proper.
- Tamerlane
Even if Stormy had been a special boy, I’m sure the OP’s wife would feel the same about the cat. 
Though crowd.
None of you seems to even remotely question the wiseness of performing major surgeries on pets. You believe you are fighting ignorance? For instance, it’s common for humans to experience phantom pains after amputation, yet none of you (seemingly) are considering that animals can experience the same. Big deal or not, you are not fighting ignorance.
The irony is that I am a pet owner, the kind that let pets sleep in my bed and do four walks a day. I lived on a farm until I was 16. I’ve been around animals most of my life. I could maybe even tell you stories only a vet would believe.
My background shouldn’t count for anything. But when I read comments like “my parents’ 3-legged dog can run faster than their 4-legged dog, and he’s smaller” and “I’ve never seen a dog staring at another dog because it was missing a limb and looked ‘different.’” - I suspect it does. None of these are reasons to perform major surgery.
Alien, do you think an otherwise healthy animal should be put down if an amputation would save its life?
I don’t know if animals experience “phantom pain” from an amputated limb, and I don’t think you do, either. The animals I have observed who have thrived after amputations have amazed me with the speed in which they adapted and went about their daily lives.
I have a cat who has had two hip surgeries - I can’t spell the procedure but the femoral head was removed on both hips. In effect, his rear legs are not connected to the remainder of his skeletal structure. (I did not have these procedures done - I couldn’t have afforded it. He was a clinic cat where I used to work, and when it was decided - after the second surgery - that he should no longer be a clinic cat, I was given the chance to adopt him.) This is the most active, outgoing, loving, exploring cat in the world. He is happy. He loves to make the mama chase him when he gets into places he knows he isn’t supposed to be. He loves to make buscuits on my head at night.
And I should have had him put to sleep? I don’t think so.
No, the fact that the cat is injured is a reason to perform major surgery.
I don’t see where you’re coming from here at all. The cat is injured, and surgery can fix it. You seem to be doubting that the cat will be fine with just three legs; do you not believe the posters who have described their experiences with three-legged animals?
Uh, hello? Didn’t you even bother reading the entire OP before voicing your poorly thought out objections?
Don’t jump all over Alien - he’s voicing the same things that went through my head after the original injury: Was this surgery the best thing for the cat? What would her quality of life be afterwards? Were we just setting her up for pain and discomfort for the rest of her life? After we discovered that the rebuild of the knee had failed, I had the same questions regarding the amputation.
In both cases, after a long discussion with the surgical vet, I was convinced that the approach we chose was/is the correct way to go. If I (or my wife) for one moment thought that what we were doing wasn’t in Stormy’s best interests, we wouldn’t have proceeded. We’ve both owned pets for long enough to know that these sorts of decisions can’t be made with what you want in mind, but what’s best for the pet.
Anyway, we dropped her off at the vet this morning for the surgery. My wife was crying as we left – a sad day for everyone, but in the long run I think this is best for Stormy.
The vet called a few minutes ago…Stormy came through the surgery just fine. She’s in the recovery area now waiting for the anethesia to wear off. Barring any unexpected complications, we can pick her up tomorrow (Thursday).
I guess we now have a 3-legged cat.